i miss someone who's long gone
by giselle of the fire
Summary: do you know what it feels like to lose someone? And not just in the literal sense. /skyeward


_**/skyeward. i don't own anything**_

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It's been a long time since the fall of Hydra and the reinstatement of Shield through newly-appointed Directer Phillip Coulson.

It's been 2 years and although it really isn't that long, Skye thinks it is.

Only because there's a reason why it should feel so long.

Throughout those two years, she has worked her way up to Shield, clearing levels one by one. Now, she's one of the highest ranked agents in Shield and one of Coulson's right-hand women. She's not much of a fighter, even though she proves to be powerful when she is condemned to fight, with or without her powers. She's more into being a computer genius a.k.a super-hacker. She thinks that her Level 9 clearance makes her job as a hacker so much easier (even though, as a hacker, her clearance doesn't really matter).

She finds a partner and confidant in Alexandros Owen whom she jokingly calls Ro-Ro. He's a level under her, but he's surely one of the most talented specialists they have at Shield in a while.

x

One day, Alex invites her over to the living area of the new and improved Bus and asks her to play Battleship with him.

She looks at him and hesitantly agrees. Their game goes well and Alex always loses. It's well known that Skye is the Queen of Battleship and has never been defeated.

When she beats him at their last play, he slumps back into the chair and sighs.

"You sunk my battleship."

He could feel her eyes dart onto his and he _knows _he's said something wrong.

He's worried and he doesn't know what he did.

"You okay? Did I say something?" He asks.

She just looks at him, a frown tugging at her lips.

"No, it's nothing, You just reminded me of someone." She says quietly before standing up.

He watches her leave and his eyes are glued to her back and the way she walks.

He notices that there's a slight stumble in her walk and _that never happens._

x

That night, after getting a drink with Simmons and Fitz, he walks to his bunk, only to be interrupted by something being thrown on the ground and glass breaking.

He opens Skye's bunk without even knocking because he feels he has the authority to do that. After all, they were the closest of friends, other than Simmons and Fitz.

He sees a picture frame on the floor along with shards of glass and a little blood. He walks closer and he notices a crumpled up piece of paper._Probably the picture in the frame, _he thinks.

Looking up, he sees Skye. Her hair is a mess and her blanket is wrapped around her securely. Her cheeks and her eyes were red and he knows she's been crying.

He walks up to her bed and takes a seat, his hand finding it's way onto the back of her neck.

"You don't have to tell me, but I want to help." He says.

She sniffs and rubs her eyes before looking back out into the starry sky (through that incredibly tiny window). The moon was shining brightly.

"It's nothing." She replies.

"Skye.."

"I miss someone who's long gone."

That's all she says before he leaves, knowing what it's like to lose someone and not just in the literal sense.

x

Grant Ward has spent the past 2 years in a Shield Rehabilitation Facility.

He's been trying to get back into the field. To prove himself. To be good again.

Fitz is his supervisor and he often comes and updates Ward with the team and telling stories of their missions.

Every time he hears a story, he wants to either cry or choke someone.

x

It's 3 in the morning and he's shuffling around in his room, causing his room mate (whom he's actually gotten close with, even though he hates to admit it) to wake up.

"Dude, go to sleep. What's got you up?" he asks.

Ward glances at him before looking back at the picture in his hand.

On the back, it says "_She's doing all right. -Fitz" _and it's obviously a picture of the only person he'd be up this late for.

Skye.

It was just a picture of her, on her most recent birthday (she turned 26 this year). She's gone blonde (only slighty. There's still a brown hint) and she looks so much happier. Much happier than he's ever seen her.

"Nothing. I just miss someone who's long gone."

And he thinks that seeing her, even if it's just pictures, is enough for him to live on.

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originally posted on my tumblr (queen - - skye) no spaces. Thanks for reading.

xoxo

G


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